Rhinos – 174-9 in 20 overs (Antum Naqvi 50, Tashinga Musekiwa 33, Victor Chirwa 27; Richard Ngarava 2/15, Tinotenda Maposa 2/42, Wallace Mubayiwa 1/24)
Eagles – 125-9 in 20 overs (Craig Ervine 21, Wessly Madhevere 19, Tony Munyonga 17; Brad Evans 2/16, Antum Naqvi 2/19, Hendrichs Macheke 2/28)
Rhinos won by 49 runs
Rhinos clinched the 2024/25 Domestic T20 championship with a commanding 49-run victory over Eagles in the final at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
However, this time they turned the tables emphatically on their old rivals.
After winning the toss, Rhinos opted to bat but suffered an early setback, losing their first three wickets for just 25 runs within the first five overs as Takudzwanashe Kaitano (13), Ben Curran (7) and Ryan Burl (5) all departed cheaply.
Antum Naqvi then came to the rescue with a powerful 50 off 32 balls, featuring two sixes and four fours.
He was well supported by Nyasha Mayavo, who contributed 22 in a crucial fourth-wicket stand that added 36 runs in five overs.
Victor Chirwa made a valuable 27 off 20 balls, joining Naqvi at 61 for four and helping to push the score past 120 before Naqvi fell immediately after reaching his half-century in the 16th over.
The most explosive innings came from Tashinga Musekiwa, who smashed 33 off just 13 balls, including three sixes and a four.
Rhinos lost three wickets in the final over while pushing for extra runs, with a run-out off the last delivery closing their innings at 174 for nine.
Eagles’ standout bowler was Richard Ngarava, who delivered an excellent spell of two for 15 in his four overs.
In response, Eagles made a brisk start, reaching 23 in the third over before losing Tadiwanashe Marumani (11) and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (9) in quick succession to slump to 25 for two.
Rhinos’ bowlers then tightened their grip, making scoring increasingly difficult.
When Wessly Madhevere (19) was caught near the boundary and Dion Myers (15) fell soon after, Eagles found themselves struggling at 61 for four after 10 overs, with the required run rate climbing above 10 per over.
Craig Ervine and Tony Munyonga attempted to revive the innings but found it tough to break free.
By the 15th over, Eagles had reached 95 for four, still needing 80 off the last five overs – an improbable 16 per over.
Desperate hitting was required, but the game-changing innings Eagles needed never materialised.
Both Ervine (21) and Munyonga (17) holed out on the midwicket boundary in quick succession, leaving them with an impossible task – 76 runs required off the last 23 balls.
Despite some late efforts, Eagles never regained momentum, and Rhinos’ bowlers maintained their dominance.
The innings limped to a close at 125 for nine, with all six Rhinos bowlers chipping in with at least one wicket.
Brad Evans delivered a standout performance, dismissing both Marumani and Ervine while conceding just 16 runs in his four overs.
With a disciplined bowling display and key contributions from their middle-order batters, Rhinos fully deserved their long-awaited title.
